---

Invitation to Attend

National Symposium: Wetlands 2004: Wetlands and Migratory Birds: PROTECTING AND RESTORING WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE

October 19-20, 2004 Hilton Kansas City Airport, Kansas City, Missouri

---

With a Field Seminar Wetlands and Bird Habitat in Living Landscapes October 21-22, 2004 Great Bend, Kansas (optional field trip)

Ramsar sites, North American Waterfowl Management Plan sites, Wetland-Related National Wildlife Refuges, Wetlands in National Parks, Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve sites, National Estuarine Research Reserves, Other

Location:  The symposium will be held at the Hilton Kansas City Airport on October 19 and 20. The optional field seminar will leave from the Hilton on the morning of October 21 and travel to Great Bend (see description below). It will return on October 22.

Workshop Directors: Jon Kusler, Associate Director, Association of State Wetland Managers; Jeanne Christie, Executive Director, Association of State Wetland Managers

Audience: Wetland and bird habitat managers; birders; members of watershed councils and land trusts; staff and members of not for profit environmental organizations; researchers; consultants; academics; private landowners; and staff of state, federal, and local agencies.
Symposium and Field Seminar Goals: The major goal of this symposium and field seminar is to build wetland/bird partnerships and provide training and technical assistance to attendees to better protect and restore wetlands of international significance. These wetlands include some of the nation's most vulnerable wetlands including prairie potholes, playas, bogs, and coastal salt marshes. The symposium will primarily focus on the protection and restoration of wetlands of international significance in the U.S. However, a portion of the program will be devoted to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. More specific goals include:
·	Build strengthened partnerships between birding groups and wetland managers,
·	Document the international significance of wetlands and complexes of wetlands (e.g., the Kansas wetland complex) including but not limited to Ramsar sites such as Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira (near Great Bend),
·	Identify major threats to wetlands and wetland complexes of international significance and suggest techniques for better monitoring those threats,
·	Provide training for states, local communities, not for profits, federal agencies, international visitors, and other organizations in regard to techniques for protecting and restoring wetlands of international significance within the context of “living” agricultural and other landscape. These include many “isolated” wetlands in the prairie pothole region which are no longer subject to federal Section 404 regulation due to the U.S. Supreme Court SWANCC decision. This subject will be addressed in both the symposium and the field seminar which will address ecotourism opportunities, cooperative landowner arrangement, and other approaches, and
·	Build partnerships between U.S. and non-U.S. entities to help protect sites of international importance (e.g., twinning of states and provinces, local governments) with special emphasis upon Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Cooperating Parties: Others will be added. Please contact us if you are interested. · Great Bend Convention and Visitor’s Bureau · Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams · Kansas Department of Wildife and Parks · Nebraska Game and Parks Commission · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences · American Bird Conservancy · Wetlands International · USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service · U.S. Geological Survey · NOAA Coastal Services Center · U.S. National Ramsar Committee · International Ramsar Bureau · International Crane Foundation · Conservation Treaty Support Fund · The Caddo Lake Institute · National Wildlife Federation · National Audubon Society · Ducks Unlimited, Inc. · The Nature Conservancy · Society of Wetland Scientists · U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs

Sponsors:
·	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Wetlands
·	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI
·	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII
·	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, International Programs
·	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Coastal Service Center
·	Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Other sponsors are being sought. Please contact us if you have an interest.

Need for Symposium and Training Workshop: Many wetlands and complexes of wetlands in the U.S. are of international significance as habitat for migratory birds; home to internationally endangered plants and animals; havens for biodiversity; breeding grounds for international fisheries; as flood storage areas on international rivers, and as significant stores of atmospheric carbon. These include Ramsar sites, Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network sites, North American Waterfowl Management Plan sites, National Wildlife Refuges, National Estuarine Research Reserves, National Park Service sites, major peatlands, and other wetland complexes. While many of these wetlands are protected from destruction by filling or drainage by public ownership, offsite activities threaten the long term aquatic health of many. Despite their importance, these areas are increasingly threatened by a broad range of land and water activities such as:
·	Pollution of waters flowing into protected areas by nonpoint sources of pollution, placer mining and other forms of mining, sewage discharges, and other sources of pollution,
·	The introduction of exotic plants and animals which often dominate native species,
·	Water diversions, ground water pumping, and drainage,
·	Threats to scenic beauty and air and water quality from residential, commercial, and industrial development on adjacent lands and in-holdings,
·	Air pollution and acid rain,
·	Global climate change (changes in temperatures, rainfall) including sea level rise,
·	Use of off the road vehicles, and
·	Visitor overuse of areas (e.g., overuse of trails and resulting erosion).

Federal, state, local and private managers of these wetlands and wetlands complexes are doing their best to protect these areas but their protection efforts are limited by lack of knowledge concerning protection and restoration techniques, insufficient budgets, and insufficient political support. They need the strengthened help of local governments, states, federal agencies, and the public. The general public and many environmental organizations are often not aware of the threats to these areas.

This symposium and field seminar will address techniques for preventing and addressing threats and for restoring these wetlands.

Exhibit and Poster Session:  If you are interested in providing a poster or exhibit, please contact Laura (below) for exhibit information. Noncommercial displays and posters are free.

Background Materials: A CD of background materials which will include abstracts will be prepared and distributed to all attendees at the conference. Abstracts will also be posted to the ASWM wetbsite prior tot he symposium.

Symposium Fees: Early Discount Fees are $145 for Association members, $160 for nonmembers and $95 for speakers. This will include breaks, Tuesday evening reception, conference materials, a CD of background materials, and a one year membership in the Association. There will be an additional charge for optional lunches on the 19th and 20th of $12.00 each. Student fees will be $95 (this will not include lunch). Partial fee scholarships will also be available to qualified applicants upon request. A one-day registration fee of $80 (this will not include lunch) will be charged.  Field Seminar Fee: $145. See Fieldtrip page. PARTICIPANT Online Registration Form. Registration Form in PDF Format. SPEAKER Registration form in PDF format.

Travel and Lodging: Travel and lodging will be the responsibility of all participants attending the October 19-20 symposium. Travel and lodging for the night of October 22 in Great Bend is included in the registration fee for the optional field seminar. All other travel is the responsibility of participants.

Travel to Kansas City, Missouri:  The Kansas City International Airport is located in a predominantly rural setting about 20 miles northwest of Kansas City, Kansas. The Kansas City International Airport is served by all major airlines including Southwest which offers low fares from almost everywhere in the U.S. Taxis and limousines are available to reach downtown areas and Country Club Plaza.

Hotel Information: The Hilton Kansas City Airport is a luxury hotel in a country setting. It is located just 3 miles from the airport at the intersection of Interstate 29 and 112th Street, Kansas City, Missouri. A conference/government rate of $88 plus tax for single/double occupancy will be offered by the Hilton. Please call the Hilton’s at 1-816-891-8900 to make your reservations by September 27, 2004 and identify yourself as being with the Wetlands 2004 conference. Check-in time is 3:00 p.m. and checkout time is 12:00 p.m. The Hilton offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the Kansas City International Airport that runs every 15 minutes. The Hilton also provides complimentary parking; a complete fitness center; and up-to-date amenities.

Contact Information:

Program Contact: Jon Kusler, Associate Director, Association of State Wetland Managers, 1434 Helderberg Trail, Berne, NY 12023; (518) 872-1804; Fax: (518) 872-2171; aswm@aswm.org; www.aswm.org.

Questions Regarding General Registration, Speaker Registration, Scholarships, and Exhibits, Please Contact: Laura Burchill, Association of State Wetland Managers, 2 Basin Road, Windham, ME 04062; (207) 892-3399; Fax: (207) 892-3089; laura@aswm.org.

Return to top.